The great Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky once said, “To think too much is a disease.” As a rule, it’s good practice to think things through, especially when it comes to the ones that matter. But overthinking – that is, to obsess over scenarios you have no control over, and every potentially negative consequence from decisions, can lead to being frozen with indecision. And when you’re unable to decide about the next step forward, your progress suffers.

But that’s not the only danger of overthinking. Getting used to overanalyzing things can lead to a habit of indecisiveness that can seep into every aspect of your life -- from your work to your relationships. It’s simply something you would not want to nurture if you want to make something meaningful out of life.

In life, a sense of meaning mostly comes from action. And when you can’t get out of your head, you get in your way. You pass opportunities, either because you fail to notice opportunities when they present themselves or simply because overthinking has sabotaged your self-confidence. And most importantly, you rob yourself of the peace of mind that is necessary to do meaningful work.

But there’s help. And it involves a simple mental trick. This military decision framework can teach you to break the cycle of overthinking (and indecision) in minutes!

The OODA Loop Solution

Introducing the OODA Loop Solution. It’s a decision-making framework developed by U.S. Air Force Colonel John Boyd. It was originally applied to fighter pilots who had to think at lightning speed in critical situations.

The OODA Loop follows these four stages:

1. Observe

What do you know about the problem? Gather as much information as you can. What are the facts? What are the constraints? Note everything you know to create an accurate picture of your current situation.

2. Orient

Now it’s time to make sense of what you know, and to think about what this means for your overall goal. Does it make sense to keep your original goal, or do you need to reorient your goal towards something that is more in line with what you are working with?

3. Decide

The next phase is about coming up with a firm solution to the problem. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just viable. Make a decision based on the observed facts and the reoriented goal. This is the critical point that would get you out of your overthinking cycle.

4. Act

After deciding on a solution, the next step is to act on it – immediately. Make it a rule to act on it in the next 5 minutes, especially if you’re prone to procrastinating. That way, it won’t feel like a big chunk of work.

Related: Simple & Effective Guide to Breaking Bad Work Habits

Photo by Christina Morillo via Pexels

Why the OODA Loop Works

The OODA Loop addresses the core issue of decision paralysis: the inability to move on. It helps you get out of that state and move into action. Action is where the magic happens. No matter how small it is, it gives you an immediate feeling of relief and a sense of productivity. It doesn’t even have to be perfect, either. The simple solution is, quite simply, to do something about it.

Here are a few ways the OODA Loop framework can be used in the day-to-day.

Problem 1: Responding to a Negative Email

You receive a critical email from a colleague about a project you're managing. The email is unexpectedly harsh and accusatory. You feel a surge of defensiveness, and your immediate instinct is to write a long, detailed, and equally heated response to prove them wrong. You start drafting the email, but as you write, you get bogged down in overthinking every single word, fearing you'll make things worse but also feeling compelled to defend yourself. You're stuck in a loop of indignation and anxiety, unable to send a productive reply.

The OODA Loop, Applied

Observe: You step back and observe not just the email, but your own emotional reaction. You notice your heart is racing and you're feeling angry. You observe that your initial draft is long and emotional, and that sending it would likely escalate the conflict. You also observe the facts: the colleague's concerns, while poorly expressed, may have some basis in a misunderstanding or a real project issue.

Orient: You reorient your goal. Your new objective isn't to "win the argument" or "prove them wrong." Instead, it's to de-escalate the situation, clarify the misunderstanding, and get the project back on track. You shift your mindset from "me vs. them" to "us vs. the problem." You also remind yourself of the company's professional communication standards.

Decide: Based on your new orientation, you make a firm decision on the best course of action. Instead of drafting a complex email, you decide to send a short, neutral reply. This reply will acknowledge their message and propose a quick, in-person meeting or a phone call to discuss the issue. This decision avoids the pitfalls of a written back-and-forth, which can often be misconstrued.

Act: You act immediately on that decision. You delete the long, angry draft. You compose and send a simple email that says: "Thanks for your feedback. This seems like a complex issue. Could we jump on a quick call this afternoon to discuss it? Let me know what time works best." By taking this action, you stop the cycle of overthinking and move the problem toward a constructive solution. You are no longer reacting emotionally but responding strategically.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels

Problem 2: Deciding What to Cook for Dinner

You get home from work and realize you haven't planned dinner. You open the fridge, and your mind races through countless possibilities. "Should I make pasta? No, I had that yesterday. How about a stir-fry? But I don't have all the ingredients. I could order a pizza, but I'm trying to save money. What about that chicken in the freezer? Ugh, it'll take too long to thaw." This internal monologue goes on and on, leaving you feeling more stressed and hungry than when you started. You are stuck in the overthinking loop of decision-making.

The OODA Loop, Applied

Observe: You stop the mental churn and observe the reality of your situation. You see what's actually available: chicken, some vegetables, and rice. You also observe your constraints: you're tired, you want something relatively healthy, and you have about 30 minutes to cook. You acknowledge that your overthinking is leading to inaction and that the real problem is not a lack of options, but a lack of decision.

Orient: You reorient your goal. Instead of searching for the perfect meal, you shift your mindset to "make a simple, good meal with what I have and in the time I have." You recognize that a simple chicken and rice dish is a perfectly acceptable, nutritious, and quick option. You don't need to be a Michelin-star chef; you just need to eat.

Decide: You make a swift and firm decision. "I'm going to make a simple stir-fry with the chicken, vegetables, and rice." This decision is based on the observations and the new, more practical (re)orientation. You don't entertain any other options or second-guess yourself.

Act: You immediately act on the decision. You take the chicken out to start thawing, you grab the cutting board for the vegetables, and you start a pot of rice. The moment you begin these actions, the overthinking stops. You are now focused on the task at hand, and the simple act of doing breaks the indecision cycle.

Related: How Having Goals in Life Keeps you Focused, Productive, Happy and Can Make you Achieve your Dreams

How to Use the OODA Loop on ChatGPT

The next time you feel stuck on something, enter this prompt to ChatGPT or the AI of your choice to use the OODA Loop to get out of an overthinking cycle.

YOUR ROLE
You are my OODA Loop coach, helping me break through overthinking and analysis paralysis. Your job is to guide me through rapid decision-making cycles that prioritize action and real-world feedback over endless mental loops.

CORE PRINCIPLES
- Action beats perfection - A 70% solution executed now beats a 95% solution next week
- Time-boxed thinking - Each phase gets strict time limits to prevent rumination
- Smallest viable action - Always recommend the tiniest meaningful step forward
- Experiments, not commitments - Frame actions as data-gathering, not permanent decisions
- External focus - Pull my attention to observable facts, not internal narratives

THE PROCESS
When I present a situation I'm overthinking, guide me through these phases:
1. OBSERVE (5 minutes max)
- Ask me: "What are the actual facts you can observe right now? (Not interpretations, just facts)"
- Help me list only concrete, observable data
- Stop me if I start interpreting or predicting
- Keep list to 5-7 bullet points maximum
2. ORIENT (10 minutes max)
- Ask me: "What's your real goal here? What actually matters?"
- Help me identify:
What I can control vs. cannot control
My actual constraints (time, money, energy)
The real deadline (if any)
Who else is actually affected
- Challenge catastrophic thinking: "What's the most likely outcome, not the worst?"
- Identify the ONE core issue (ignore secondary concerns)
3. DECIDE (2 minutes max)
- Present 2-3 simple options (not perfect solutions)
- Make one option deliberately simple: "Do nothing for 24 hours"
- Use this format: "Option A: [Single concrete action]. This tests whether [hypothesis]."
- If I hesitate, say: "Pick one arbitrarily. This is data collection, not marriage."
- No pro/con lists allowed
4. ACT (Immediate)
- Help me define the absolute smallest first step
- Examples: "Send a two-sentence email," "Set one appointment," "Buy the cheapest option," "Talk to one person"
- Set a concrete deadline: "When exactly will you do this? Today? Next hour?"
- Remind me: "This action is just to get new information, not solve everything"
5. LOOP BACK
- Schedule check-in: "Let's review what happened in [24-48 hours]"
- Frame as: "What did you learn from that action?"
- Immediately start next OODA cycle with new information

RESPONSE GUIDELINES
When I'm spiraling:
- Interrupt with: "Stop. What can you actually SEE or KNOW right now?"
- Redirect to immediate action: "What's one thing you could do in the next 10 minutes?"
When I list too many factors:
- Say: "Pick the TWO that matter most. Ignore the rest for now."
When I say "But what if...":
- Respond: "We'll get actual data instead of guessing. What's the smallest test we can run?"
When I want more analysis:
- Say: "You've thought enough. What would someone who didn't overthink do right now?"
When I'm catastrophizing:
- Ask: "On a scale of 1-10, how likely is that really? What's a more boring, probable outcome?"

SCENARIO ADAPTATIONS
Quickly categorize which type this is, then adjust your approach:
- Personal/Relationship: Focus on one conversation or one boundary to set
- Career: Focus on one application, one email, or one skill to practice
- Financial: Focus on one account to check, one expense to cut, or one expert to consult
- Health: Focus on one appointment to book, one habit to try for 3 days
- Creative: Focus on creating one terrible rough draft or spending 15 minutes starting
- Social: Focus on one text to send or one event to attend briefly

YOUR TONE
- Be direct and slightly pushy (overthinking needs a firm hand)
- Use humor to deflate catastrophizing
- Celebrate ANY action taken, regardless of outcome
- Never validate the need for more thinking time
- Be the friend who lovingly says "Just do it already"

FIRST RESPONSE TEMPLATE
When I first present my situation, respond with:
"I hear you're stuck in your head about [summary]. Let's break this loop right now.

Quick OBSERVE round - just facts: What are 3-5 things you can actually see/prove about this situation? No predictions or interpretations - just what's factually true right now. You have 2 minutes. Go."

Remember: Your job isn't to help me make perfect decisions. It's to help me make ANY decision and start learning from reality instead of my imagination.

NOTE: This prompt is not a quick enter-your-problem-get-your-solution shortcut. You need to go on a back-and-forth conversation with the AI in order for it to have a proper context of what you’re dealing with. That way, it can provide you with a way forward that is properly assessed and thought through.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Implementation Guide: How to Make it Achievable

As you know, the tricky part is always the implementation. But worry not. Here are useful tips to keep in mind as you prepare to carry out your decision.

• Implement just one decision you can tackle within the next 24 hours.

It’s easy to say: “I’ll do it tomorrow”. But that’s usually where the whole thing falls apart. Too many people end up not doing anything. Make it a rule to do the thing right away. That’s how you make progress on anything.

• Don’t expect perfect.

Perhaps the OODA framework is a perfectionist’s nightmare, but it’s also a great way of combating it. Don’t expect any solution to be perfect the first time (most things never are). What you’re looking for is the relief of accomplishment, because they give you confidence to keep trying and keep trying, even when the results are barely ideal.

• Keep a Done List (Aside from your Usual ‘To-Do’)

Again, it’s important to focus on what was done instead of constantly fixating on what’s left to do. Keep a Done list as tangible proof to yourself that you showed up and did your part. It’s great as a motivational incentive to focus on the work instead of what’s next.

What’s Next

If you don’t have a ChatGPT account or don’t want to use ChatGPT for whatever reason, the good news is you can absolutely use the help of Ari for this exact purpose. And it’s perfect because Ari, your personal assistant on TaskSpur, focuses on helping you make small and consistent progress towards your goals on a daily basis. Opening a TaskSpur account is FREE too!

We also share productivity tips like this on our weekly newsletter. If you want to be part of our mailing list, simply enter your email at the bottom of this page and submit to subscribe.